A Paranormal Library – Discovering the Mysteries of Ancient America

I would like to preface my review by stating that I have purchased all the books I review for the public.  I am in no way being paid for my reviews, but I am sharing my favorite paranormal books for your reading pleasure.  The opinions expressed in these books do not always reflect my own personal opinion, but I do find these topics fascinating.  Your purchases of these books do not monetarily benefit me, nor do I gain points with your readership or purchase.  I am sure, however, that the authors do enjoy your patronage.  Happy reading Dreamers!This disclaimer is in reference of my use of the word “paranormal.”  My use of the word “paranormal” refers to anything that is not normal, be it ghosts, conspiracy theories or aliens.  If the topic is not part of conventional beliefs, then it is paranormal.  So please do not bombard me with comments about how something is or is not paranormal.

Stupid History: Tales of Stupidity, Strangeness, and Myth-conceptions Throughout the Ages, by Leland Gregory

In response to the last book I reviewed for A Paranormal Library, you know I love history, especially those that can make or break or ideologies that makes our country special. Stupid history, takes a humorous approach to the “myth-conceptions” that we and other countries have created about our histories. I did receive this book for free from Free Book Fridays on Nook, so there were some serious typos.

I like this book, the humorous approach Gregory takes towards our famous legends brings to light the misconceptions we have towards our favorite myths which were started by literary interpretations than actual historical fact. One great example would be that of Paul Revere.

We are told that Paul Revere rode to Concord, Massachusetts at midnight yelling “The British are coming!” Did you know that this is based off of a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow called “The Landlord’s Tale: Paul Revere’s Ride”? That’s right, Paul Revere ‘s story is a work of literary fiction! Paul never went to Concord, a contemporary of Paul’s, Samuel Prescott, went to Concord to warn that the regulars are coming (regulars being the name of the British Troops). Paul was captured by British soldiers on route to Concord and imprisoned till the next day.[Paul Revere House.org]

“Lizzie Borden took an ax and gave her mother forty whacks, when she saw what she had done, she gave her father 41.”

In the book, Gregory describes the fact that Lizzie was accused of killing her parents in 1892 and acquitted of all charges by a trial by jury. It was never proven that she did kill her parents. [University of Missouri-Kansas City Law School – Lizzie Borden Case]

We are taught (supposedly) that the Emancipation Proclamation freed the slaves, but in my own personal classroom I did not make such claims, but in fact the Emancipation Proclamation proposed the freeing of slaves in the South (not in the North). Lincoln’s purpose for the Proclamation was to keep the union together whether the slaves were free or not. The 13th Amendment in fact freed the slaves. [Information from Senate.gov]

Lastly, I would like to sing (type) you a song:

“Yankee Doodle went to town, riding on a pony, stuck a feather in his hat and called it macaroni.”

This song brings about memories of 4th of July, American Pride Parades, and for me: Hot Dogs. But this song is as old as our country itself, but when you read the words, they really don’t make sense do they? Well, the history of this song will help you understand its significance to American and British music histories. Written in Britain, the song refers to a Yankee (An American colonist), who is a Doodle (a sorry simple person), who stuck a feather in his hat and called it Macaroni (an Italian fashion). Basically an American fool who put a feather in his hat and thought he was fashionable. Kind of interesting considering that this was the colonists rally anthem for the Revolutionary War… [Somewhat history of Yankee Doodle]

This book has little bits of trivia in between passages that describe interesting historical facts or random pop culture events that are amusing, and informative. Below are excerpts from the book:

• “People who lived centuries ago weren’t as stupid as we may believe they were. Chicken pox isn’t called that because people thought the disease was carried by chickens. It comes from the phonetic evolution of the Old English name gican [gee- can] pox or Itching Pox.” page 84.
• “They’re some of the most famous footwear in history-the ruby red slippers Dorothy wore in The Wizard of Oz. But in L. Frank Baum’s original novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900), he had her wearing silver slippers. So why did they change it in the movie? Because, when shot in Technicolor, red looked more brilliant than silver.” page 93.
• “Myth: Romans used chariots in battle. Truth: No. As one must hold on to the reins while driving a chariot, they were absolutely useless on the battlefield. Romans used chariots only in sports and as transportation. Thanks to Hollywood for this myth.” page 107.
• “During the turbulent times of the Nixon administration; House Minority Leader Gerald Ford was nominated by President Richard M. Nixon to replace Vice President Spiro Agnew who had resigned. When Nixon himself resigned during the impeachment process for his involvement in Watergate, Ford assumed his duties and became the 38^th president on August 9, 1974 making Gerald Ford the only person to be vice president and president without going through the election process.” page 117.
• “We’ve all heard of London’s famous Big Ben—but what is it? Is it the clock? Is it the tower? Nope, it’s neither, Big Ben is the name for the thirteen-and-a-half-ton bell inside the clock tower. It was cast in 1858 and named in honor of Sir Benjamin Frail, who served as commissioner of works when the bell was installed.” page 126.

Again, read this book if you’re interested in all things trivia, the reason why I put this into A Paranormal Library is because Gregory brings to light information that we’ve come to know as fact and completely rip it apart due to the fact that movies and literature have destroyed our perceptions of history. While some find discrepancies in the factoids, I approached this book as an interesting and trivia based read, not a history book. In fact, I have used some of the anecdotes in class, putting them on Power-Point at the beginning of class to get the kids thinking for the day, and citing not only this book but other sources for those who wish to pick hairs. Its a very fast read, and very informative, I hope you will enjoy!

A Paranormal Library – Discovering the Mysteries of Ancient America

I would like to preface my review by stating that I have purchased all the books I review for the public.  I am in no way being paid for my reviews, but I am sharing my favorite paranormal books for your reading pleasure.  The opinions expressed in these books do not always reflect my own personal opinion, but I do find these topics fascinating.  Your purchases of these books do not monetarily benefit me, nor do I gain points with your readership or purchase.  I am sure, however, that the authors do enjoy your patronage.  Happy reading Dreamers!

This disclaimer is in reference of my use of the word “paranormal.”  My use of the word “paranormal” refers to anything that is not normal, be it ghosts, conspiracy theories or aliens.  If the topic is not part of conventional beliefs, then it is paranormal.  So please do not bombard me with comments about how something is or is not paranormal.

Discovering the Mysteries of Ancient America: Lost History and Legends, Unearthed and Explored, by Frank Joseph

Disclaimer: This book is about evidence that has been brought to light in recent years with new technologies that discuss the possible influence of Old World (Ancient European and Asian) civilizations in the New World (the Americas). Artifacts, bones and carbon dating techniques may have possibly proven that Ancient Greeks, Africans and Asians have, at one point in time, visited and explored the Americas before the Vikings landed in Canada. The book consists of articles that were published in Ancient American Magazine, edited by Frank Joseph. While I do agree with some of the items discussed in the book, I do not agree with most of it.

Frank Joseph is the editor-in-chief for Ancient American Magazine, and has published many books on the subject of ancient civilizations and possible visitors to our shores years before Columbus ever set foot on Bermudan soil. He lives in Wisconsin with his wife and son.

What I liked about this book is that Frank Joseph and the other contributors were not afraid to discuss something that was so “hush hush,” my favorite professor was too afraid to even discuss it in class. This topic is about the fact that Columbus and the Vikings were not the first people from other lands to set foot on American Soil. We were all taught in grade school that Christopher Columbus discovered America after an arduous journey from Spain to America. In recent years (including the textbook I used to teach from), it now states that Vikings had arrived in American long before Christopher Columbus ever thought about the Earth being round. We all accept the Viking theory, mostly because there is specific and hard proof that the Vikings did in fact start settling some of eastern Canada around 1000 CE. Did you know that the Viking theory was scoffed by major Historians until very recently (within the past 40 – 50 years)? The Viking theory was so unpopular due to the fact that there was little to no evidence proving the contrary, but there was evidence…the evidence at the time were considered hoaxes until some scholars delved deeper into the theory and used carbon dating to prove that the Vikings were here before Columbus.

Now, with the invention and the improvement of Carbon Dating, more and more evidence of ancient civilizations are being dated far older than we have previously believed, but modern scholars are denouncing these findings as glitches in the carbon dating process. While I would accept scholars being skeptical of the findings, I do find it hard to believe that after scientifically conducted trial after trial and getting the same results with about a difference of 50 years, it would be hard to not see these findings as astounding, but still there are those in the community who would still call these findings as preposterous.

In any case, the book, Discovering the Mysteries of Ancient America, brings articles that question the reality we have come to be taught and known, and bring evidence that proves this the contrary. In the book, there are several articles that focus on different topics, each showing that at some point in time Ancient Civilizations have visited our esteemed shores.

My first example from the book is what we have come to know as Vinland. This is the supposed area in Canada that has the oldest evidence of a Viking settlement and was referenced in many Norse sagas and maps. Basically, this is the fabled area that the Vikings established a small colony on escapades into the Atlantic. While we now accept the fact that Vikings did “discover” America before Columbus, there may be more evidence to prove that they may have settled farther south than originally perceived. This evidence may be in the form of a cat, and not just any cat the Maine Coon Cat.

The Maine Coon Cat is considered one of the larger domestic cat breeds (domestic, I mean a cat that has had a larger wild cat in them, but you can’t trace their bloodline through the members of their family like you can with the Savannah) and a long time resident of what is now the United States of America. The Maine Coon Cat’s history has always been a mystery to the animal scholars, since cats the size of domestic cats were not known on this side of the world and the Main Coon’s markings are unique as well. After a genetic study was performed on the Maine Coon Cat, it was discovered that the Main Coons have a genetic tie to a domesticated, though extinct breed of cat, and the Norwegian Forest Cat. The Forest Cat was brought to our continent from Scandinavia around 1,000 years ago. What is more striking is that the vast majority of the Maine Coon population is centered in Maine, which means that the settlement in L’Ans aux Meadows was not the only Viking colony. This implies that Vinland, the mysterious area that the Vikings had named and searched for was in Maine after all.

We don’t have to stop at the Vikings either, we can explore older civilizations’ marks on American soil. In another article, there were bones of an Irishman carbon dated in 2001 and the findings were said to be around 1,292 +/- 40 years Before Present, in other words, he existed around 710 A.D. +/- 40 years.

The discovery was made in Wyoming County, West Virginia, in a rock shelter, and this area is also controversial for the fact that non-indigenous pre-modern inscriptions on the wall of the rock shelter. The skull of the skeleton was found to be brachycephalic of an adult male, or a “round head” which implies possible European origins. Now to make it even more astounding, just a paragraph earlier, I stated that the bones were dated to be around 710 A.D. +/- 40 years! A European that is NOT from Scandinavia in a cave in America. A significant find considering this is probably the earliest a European has ever visited North America.

In the same area of West Virginia, in the same area as the rock cave where this man was found, petroglyphs were discovered that resembled those used by the Norse during the European Dark ages. Upon further examination, the writings were found to be Ogam, an alphabet used in the British Isles by the Irish, Scottish and Welsh. This discovery connects stories to St. Brendan, the sixth century cleric who supposedly set out with a crew of monks across the North Atlantic. Ogam, the language on the rock faces, is commonly used on the corner edges of tombstones in Ireland, and not rock formations.

There are other examples stated in the book, but I’ll let you discover those for yourselves. Like I said, this book helped answer one of the large poking questions I had from college, “Why do some of the rock carvings of Olmec society look more African than those who lived in Pre-Columbian Mexico?” What is worse is that I never once got a specific answer, because of the fact that I was approaching a sensitive subject.

What gets me, if we do have carbon dating proving that there were people who came to American before the Vikings, then how come is it so hard for modern academics not to accept the findings? Maybe because Modern scientific thought is too rigid for other explanations.

Finally, I had noticed in my own personal research, legends and gods who mimic those of other lands and cultures. While I tried to approach the subject with my Cultural Anthropology teacher (I was a Latin American History Major), he just dismissed my findings and questions and sent me on my way. I felt a bit burned, since my major was based on a major study and thesis, but I was glad that he turned me away, due to the fact that if I had presented my findings at the symposium, I probably would have been laughed off the podium.  In any case, I was glad I got this book, mostly because those findings I found were not invalid, but possibly something larger than I thought to have known.  I’m not too sure if the findings I found were correct, or if all the findings in the book are true, it may just be possible that there is something out there that we do not know, and we are not giving our ancestors credit to what they could have possibly done.

Do you believe that there were people here in America before the Vikings?

 

A Paranormal Library – Darkness on the Edge of Town Paranormal Radio Show

I would like to preface my review by stating that I have purchased all the books I review for the public.  I am in no way being paid for my reviews, but I am sharing my favorite paranormal books for your reading pleasure.  The opinions expressed in these books do not always reflect my own personal opinion, but I do find these topics fascinating.  Your purchases of these books do not monetarily benefit me, nor do I gain points with your readership or purchase.  I am sure, however, that the authors do enjoy your patronage.  Happy reading Dreamers!

This disclaimer is in reference of my use of the word “paranormal.”  My use of the word “paranormal” refers to anything that is not normal, be it ghosts, conspiracy theories or aliens.  If the topic is not part of conventional beliefs, then it is paranormal.  So please do not bombard me with comments about how something is or is not paranormal.

Go to http://www.darknessradio.com

Darkness on the Edge of Town Paranormal Radio Show

I first heard of Darkness Radio while I was enjoying a new episode of Jim Harold’s Campfire.  Darkness Radio Host Dave Schrader was on an episode of Jim Harold’s Campfire recounting a personal ghost experiences.  While I can’t recall (OR FIND) the episode in which he was featured in, I do know that it sparked an interest in this new radio show.

Darkness Radio was started in January 2006, and the show discusses all types of topics regarding the paranormal. In the short time I’ve been listening to the show, the topics discussed have ranged from Men In Black, Cryptozoology, the destiny of a Sociopath, How to create a better spiritual self, personal ghost accounts from people who have published books, Psychic readings and a break down of what really went on in the Amityville house.  What has been very interesting topic they’ve been discussing in the relatively recent events of Caylee Anthony’s death, was what happens to a sociopath after they die, and other real life cases in which Medium/ Psychic Attorney Mark Anthony discusses his own readings regarding several sociopaths who crossed over. One interesting topic that has been discussed on Darkness Radio is a study from listeners and guests alike who have had an experience with the Black Eyed Kids.

Darkness Radio hosts are Dave Schrader, Mallie Fox and Producer Tim Dennis, or Timmy D if you catch them on a Friday where Paranormal News is the day’s topic.  Dave is the main host and executive producer of Darkness Radio while he also hosts darkness events, contributes to TAPS ParaMagazine, co-authored The Other Side, 2009, lectured in conferences around the world regarding the paranormal, has been featured on tv shows such as Paranormal State and Ghost Adventures, and is the Head Judged on Travel Channel’s Paranormal Challenge.  Mallie Fox is the co hostess of the show, where she gives insight on topics and is an all around dear when it comes to the show, while Tim Dennis is an old friend of Dave’s whose skeptic beliefs keeps the guests on their toes.  Due to the close-knit ties each host has with one another, the show has this family feeling that one can “feel” when listening to the show.  This approach makes the guests feel comfortable and feel like they can joke around with the hosts and make a serious topic feel less serious, but keep the tone of the topic.

Now, every Friday, the Darkness Radio crew holds a Paranormal News night in which strange Paranormal accounts are read to the audience.  The crew jokes about some of these accounts, and there are at times I’m laughing hysterically in the car due to the crazy antics these guys get themselves into.  Some listeners really do not like Paranormal News night due to the fact that Paranormal News should be taken seriously.  I’m sorry though, another sighting of Jesus on a Wal-Mart receipt and the proud owners of said receipt are so backwaters hick that I can’t understand a word they say will prompt me into a hysterical bout of laughter.  It’s just that funny. Which is why I get where the Darkness Radio crew is coming from.  There are stories that are reported that are so out there, you can’t help but laugh, and sometimes we do need laughter in the world.

There is an archive you can listen to on all the past Darkness Radio shows that have aired, but there is one small problem, the shows won’t download…at least not until March of 2011 on a show that has been going on since January of 2006.  Honestly though, this mishap really doesn’t bother me at all, that’s just too much Darkness Radio to listen to on my already short schedule frame, but you do get the feel for the show starting from March 2011.  I honestly cannot get enough of this show, the hosts are HI-Larious, and they do bring on wonderful guests.  In fact I’m searching for my next book to review from one of the guests that was featured on both Darkness Radio and The Paranormal Podcast (which reset it’s RSS Feed to January of this year!!! I’m not done with 2011 yet!!).

source

As I mentioned earlier, the show has been conducting a study on the Black Eyed Kids Phenomena (BEK) that has been around for several years.  Through this study Dave, Mallie and Tim allow people to discuss their own personal events regarding this phenomena and allow their guests to describe their own personal experiences.  Now, I have heard of this phenomena before, and this topic has always creeped me out for several reasons, and I’ll get to those later.

The BEKs were first INTERNET noted on the internet by a man named Brian Bethel on January 16, 1998.  His story began when two boys had approached his car and asked for a ride.  Not phased by the request, since he did live in an area where one did not have to worry about such requests going bad, he had no qualms in letting the boys in the car.  They looked like normal kids with olive skin, dark hair and somewhat stylish for the times.  The boys explained further that they were on their way to a movie and forgot their money at home, and didn’t feel like making the walk back to their home, Brian was about to let them in when he had a strange feeling come over him.  Listening to this “feeling” he looked up once more at the boys and noticed that their eyes were  completely black.  Freaking out, Brian left, while the boys chased his car for a bit.

The BEKs are children, some are reported as young as 9 or 10 and as old as 15 or 16, I have heard of reports in which the BEKs are older teenagers, but those accounts just don’t seem as likely.  ANYWAY, all the reports are almost the same, people hearing children outside the home crying or laughing, and then the children knock on the door or a window asking to be let in. Some people look through their peep-holes or out the windows and see some young children at their doorstep.  The children ask again to be let in and that is usually when the person sees that something is wrong with the child.  The clothes are either super stylish or slightly outdated, outdated in a sense that a girl is wearing a Victorian child’s dress with modern tights.  And while the person is deciding to let in the children, they notice something even more strange, the child’s eyes are completely black and they refuse to let the child in.

No one really knows who these children are, and there have been no reports of someone letting the child into their home and what has happened afterwards.  One thing has remained consistent in all these BEK reports, they cannot come into the house, that is until I started listening to Darkness Radio.  There was one caller who told the show that she had woken up from being sound asleep with the feeling that she was being watched, and when she looked over on her side of the bed, she could see three children with dark eyes staring at her IN HER OWN BEDROOM!!!  The one in the middle (the boy, he was with two girls) told her that he just wanted to watch her sleep, and when she woke up in the morning they were gone!  Another was a caller who was recounting a story that had happened to his mother when she lived in Korea during the war.  She was a light sleeper and had woken up from being asleep to see the door adjacent to the family bedroom was open (this door led to the outside of the house) and there was a boy standing just out of the doorway, the boy was her brother, and he was motioning for her to come outside with him.  Knowing it was her brother she started walking towards the door, and tripped over something and cut her knee pretty bad, when she went to look at what she tripped over, she realized it was her brother sound asleep on the floor! She looked back up at the other brother and noticed that his eyes were silver in the moonlight and he was motioning very angrily to her to come outside and she flipped out and ran back under the covers next to her mother.  She then heard the footsteps coming closer to her and her mother and started to feel its hands trying to reach for her.  It didn’t stop until her mother woke up and asked the girl, who was in shock what had happened.  The family was told the story and they stayed up for the rest of the night praying, feeling that it was one of the deceased siblings who wanted to take the girl with him.  Either way, it shocked me that there were two instances in which BEKs were able to get into the house!!

Here’s a strange account as I was writing this blog post, it wasn’t about the one I was going to mention earlier, I SWEAR IT!, but it is something that just happened.  As I was writing the history of the blog post, I was sitting on my downstairs couch with my two dogs and my sister’s kitten sleeping soundly next to me.  My cat was upstairs with my parents and my sister was out with a friend.  So as I was typing this post, I heard someone or something knocking on the two downstairs windows.  Now these aren’t just some regular window, they’re two HUGE picture windows that sit right next to each other with the porch door in the middle of them.  BOTH those windows, which are over 6 feet apart were KNOCKING!! Not just one knock, but a series of knocks that sounded like two people knocking as if needing to be let in, kind of like an emergency knock.  I don’t know how to explain the knocking but it sounded urgent.  I didn’t move when I heard the knocking, but the dogs and kitten sure did, all three running to the windows to check out the sound.  Thinking it was a prank played by my sister I called her, and sure enough she was still at Big Texas with her friend Scott.  My parents didn’t hear the knocking nor the barking that started shortly thereafter.  I got my baseball bat, and went to the windows, opened each one flicking the light on and saw nothing, opened the short window on the back door and heard nothing, the air was SILENT, we usually have some late night doves cooing in the dark, and an owl lives in the tree behind our house who is usually Whooo-ing up a storm at this time of night, but NO! NO SOUND AT ALL.  Really strange right?  Maybe I’m going crazy…I don’t know!  I’m calling it hail and leaving it at that since we’re supposed to be getting a big storm tonight, even though the storm is nowhere near the outskirts of Houston, let alone the NW side of Houston.

If you have any Black Eyed Kids stories to share, please do! I’d love to figure out what the hell these things are!  Or what is your opinion regarding the BEKs, some say it’s just an internet hoax.

Go to paranormal.about.com for some other information on BEKs

A Paranormal Library – Jim Harold and the Paranormal Podcast Network

I would like to preface my review by stating that I have purchased all the books I review for the public.  I am in no way being paid for my reviews, but I am sharing my favorite paranormal books for your reading pleasure.  The opinions expressed in these books do not always reflect my own personal opinion, but I do find these topics fascinating.  Your purchases of these books do not monetarily benefit me, nor do I gain points with your readership or purchase.  I am sure, however, that the authors do enjoy your patronage.  Happy reading Dreamers!

This disclaimer is in reference of my use of the word “paranormal.”  My use of the word “paranormal” refers to anything that is not normal, be it ghosts, conspiracy theories or aliens.  If the topic is not part of conventional beliefs, then it is paranormal.  So please do not bombard me with comments about how something is or is not paranormal.

The Paranormal Podcast

I’ll have to admit, I’m a huge fan of Jim Harold and his Paranormal Network.  Jim Harold is a Podcaster that specializes in the paranormal, in fact, he started this all before the whole paranormal wave gained popularity (if it ever did).  Jim creates a special forum with his guests and listeners based on the fact that we need to hear both sides of the paranormal argument (skeptics vs. believers) and try to gain some sense over the whole subject.  While he does have a good chunk of believers featured (including a Priest asking us to stop researching the paranormal for our souls’ sake), he still brings on Skeptics, the likes of Ben Raford, and Dr.s Todd Fleischer and Jerry Bockoven.

The Paranormal Podcast varies in subjects ranging from Ghosts/Possessions, UFOs/ET’s, Abductions, Legend Tripping, Ghost Hunting, Near Death Experiences (NEDs), Psychic Ability (the one of the boy who knew that he was going to die was heart breaking), Cryptozoology, Astrology and what is really going to happen this year on December 21st.  I love a lot of these topics here and I listen to them while I’m working out, have time off at school, or when I need to kill time doing something (most of that is in the car).  The boyfriend can’t stand these podcasts due to the fact that his mother listened to AM radio and he’s just turned off from talk radio at this point, me, I cannot get enough of them.  I happened across this podcast while listening to Jim Harold’s Campfire (review next) and thought that it would be a great thing to listen to.

One thing that I have come across about this show and his other shows is that Jim Harold does have commercial’s in his podcasts.  While some do not like hearing these advertisements, I tend to just tune the ads out and leave it alone.  Besides, free content isn’t always free, you have to listen to/view ads just because of the free content.

I do recommend this if you wish to pursue education in the paranormal field, these podcasts are great references for those who have questions regarding any of the above subjects in the paranormal.  You can even use this as a stepping off point for your paranormal education.  For me, it got me in contact with Jeff Belanger and Loyd Auerbach in conducting my own paranormal research.

Jim Harold’s Campfire

Jim Harold’s Campfire is basically a hypothetical campfire that people come around to listen to other people’s ghost/cryptozoological/UFO stories.  Much like in real life when you and your friends are camping, have a fire going, and everyone shares their favorite spooky stories for the fun of it.  This podcast is pretty much the same in that regard.  Before I came upon this podcast I was listening to the Art Bell Archives (which has since been taken down) and luckily went through the archives of Ghost to Ghost AM where people call Art Bell (George Noory and Ian Punnett have also hosted this event) and share their spooky ghost stories.  In hopes of finding something VERY similar to the forum that Art Bell had created (I’m a sucker for scaring myself) I stumbled upon Jim Harold’s Campfire. I had finally found my podcast.

Happily I downloaded the then about 30 podcasts of ghost stories and spooky synchronicity.  One of my favorite stories was told by a man who had lived near a set of woods that were supposedly haunted, and everyone he took there (before the area was effected by some landslides) had some kind of crazy scary paranormal events.  In one, a friend of his was being attacked by something that was throwing stones only at her, and she had to go to the hospital due to the severity of the strange attack.

Weird News Radio

Now this is a fairly new podcast from the Paranormal Network, and features Jim Harold and Kate Botello as they try to give you the weeks weird news from “Dumb Criminals” to “We Are All Doomed.”  Each topic is viewed weekly with the best of the week, the “Dumb Criminals” and the “Celebrity Trainwreck” are the best ones for me personally.  When this first aired, it was right before Amy Winehouse’s death, and for weeks up until her death, she was featured as the celebrity for the Train-wreck.  Lindsay Lohan is the only other celebrity who has now been featured more than any other celebrity known at the moment.

The best part of Weird News Radio is at the end where our generous hosts play the game called “Real or Real B.S.” The hosts basically play a game where one host talks about three stories from the news, and the other host has to choose which story is Real or Real B.S.  It’s very fun, informative and creative when you consider that some of these stories are created by the hosts themselves.  I’ve been listening to this podcast since its inception, and have enjoyed it immensely ever since. I even download past episodes of the show for long drives with my boyfriend (he has to deal, I’m driving!) and my parents and we all join in with the Real or Real B.S. game.  I highly recommend this show!

Jim Harold’s Paranormal Plus Club

The Paranormal Plus Club is the only podcast series that I am not able to review.  While I do enjoy the podcasts provided by Jim Harold, The Paranormal Plus Club is the only podcast offered by Jim Harold that is not free.  At a low price of $7.95 a month (or one large lump sum of $79.50) you get tons of great content such as Eight new Paranormal podcasts a month, Paranormal Courses, a forum community, a Paranormal Book Club, and more.  It’s all an effort for Mr. Jim Harold to continue podcasting as a full-time job without distractions.

Dreamers, do you have any favorite paranormal podcasts?

A Paranormal Library – Change From the Norm

I am not changing the format of A Paranormal Library, I will still review those paranormal books that attract my fancy, that won’t ever change, but I’m just adding a new aspect to the column.  Since I have had time on my hands after the layoff from school, I have been reading a good ton of Paranormal Books.  Most of the books I’ve read have prompted me to explore the realms of Paranormal Investigation.

See, I’ve been reading about the paranormal since I was very, very young, and I haven’t changed my mind on the paranormal except for the fact that I’ve become more skeptic than my younger-self.  While I have all this extra time on my hands, I decided that maybe I should go on some personal investigations in supposedly haunted locations.  As of now, I’m in correspondence with Lloyd Auerbach and Jeff Belanger in regards to Legend Tripping and small investigations with my boyfriend and how to go about it safely and legally.

Patterson Road

Patterson Road

Anyway, the reason behind this move forward was inspired by my former students.  See, they finally found out about my blog and realized that I’m interested in the paranormal.  They began to describe some experiences they had on a stretch of road called Patterson Road.  They then encouraged me to go an see what may occur at Patterson Rd, while trying to be a good teacher that listens to her students interests, I couldn’t help but write down the location with the intent of researching the legend and the Road.

The Legend

Patterson Road is located between Highway 6 and Eldridge in Houston. This place is rumored to be the site of a Civil War battle and the bridge closest to Eldridge is haunted. If you park in the center of the bridge and turn your car off there will begin to be tapping noises all over your car. They aren’t just the sounds of your car settling. They are mostly on the sides and the back of the car. It is said to be the spirits of the soldiers who died. Be careful, this road is absolutely pitch black at night, however you can see cars coming from either direction at quite a distance.  

From: Strange USA

The Research

I did some of my own research regarding the idea that there was a Civil War battle in this area of Texas.  I know some Professors and Civil War buffs, they all agreed that there were no other skirmishes in the area other than Sabine, Galveston and Palmito.  Now, there were some Civil War infantries in Texas that were battling Indians in the area.  So it is possible that the area around Bear Creek was an old battle site between soldiers from the Civil War era and the native Karankawas.  This would explain the war drums, the running footsteps and gunshots.  Again, this is just my personal research, there could have been a minor skirmish of the Civil War in the area, but prospects are unlikely.

What I did find interesting though, was that there has been a number of traffic accidents in the Hwy. 6/Patterson Rd. area, some with fatalities:

• January 4, 2010
• June 4, 2010
• December 29, 2012

The Following Information is from City-Data.com

• Feb 13, 2008 02:40 AM, Eldridge, Patterson, Lat: 29.812944, Lon: -95.617275, Vehicles: 2, Persons: 2, Fatalities:1
• Jun 8, 1991 06:30 AM, Patterson, Vehicles: 1, Persons: 1, Fatalities: 1, Drunken drivers:1
• Sep 10, 1989 09:30 AM, Patterson, Vehicles: 2, Persons: 5, Fatalities: 2, Drunken drivers:1

I’m sure there’s more, but I have exhausted the Google Monster and the City of Houston.

The Oracle is Insane

Why did I do all this research?  What possessed me to spend time researching a stretch of road so infamous by teenagers?  Simple answer is, I’m curious.  I am planning a trip with some of my skeptical friends just to see what is up with this area. I will take pictures, video and sound recordings and post what I do or do not have.  I’m not taking this adventure to prove the existence of ghosts, or that something is going on at Patterson Rd., I’m taking this trip to continue my personal education in the paranormal and document what happens or didn’t happen.  Maybe I’ll take more trips to this location to see if we get the same experience every single time, or just to prove that I am absolutely crazy.  We’ll see.

Dreamers, what is your opinion regarding ghosts?  Have you been to Patterson Rd. in Houston, Texas?  Have you been on a Legend Trip/Ghost Hunt/Crypto (Monster) Hunt?

A Paranormal Library – Ghosthunters:

I would like to preface my review by stating that I have purchased all the books I review for the public.  I am in no way being paid for my reviews, but I am sharing my favorite paranormal books for your reading pleasure.  The opinions expressed in these books do not always reflect my own personal opinion, but I do find these topics fascinating.  Your purchases of these books do not monetarily benefit me, nor do I gain points with your readership or purchase.  I am sure, however, that the authors do enjoy your patronage.  Happy reading Dreamers!

This disclaimer is in reference of my use of the word “paranormal.”  My use of the word “paranormal” refers to anything that is not normal, be it ghosts, conspiracy theories or aliens.  If the topic is not part of conventional beliefs, then it is paranormal.  So please do not bombard me with comments about how something is or is not paranormal.

Copyright Career Press, Incorporated, 2007

Ghosthunters: On the Trail of Mediums, Dowsers, Spirit Seekers, and Other Investigators of America’s Paranormal World by John Kachuba

John Kachuba is a writer extraordinaire!  Having received advanced writing degrees from Antioch University, and Ohio University, he has been published many times in short story magazines and books.  He has also taught the subject of writing at Ohio University and The University of Cincinnati.  John is also an avid lecturer having appeared at such conferences as the Columbus Writer’s Conference, Florida Suncoast Writers Conference, Haunted America Conference, and Ghost Hunters and Spirituality Conference.  John has also been featured on many television and radio programs in the United States and internationally.  His book titles include: Ghosthunting Ohio: On the Road Again, Ghosthunting Illinois,Ghosthunting Ohio, How to Write Funny, and Why is this Job Killing Me? He currently resides in Cincinnati, Ohio with his wife.

Taken from Ghosthunters: On the Trail of Mediums, Dowsers, Spirit Seekers, and Other Investigators of America’s Paranormal World by John Kachuba:

Facts and Trivia about ghost lore abound.  What do you know about ghosts? Take this short quiz to test your knowledge. The answers to these questions appear [at the end of this post].

1. What is the name of Casper the Friendly Ghost’s girlfriend?
   • Boolinda
   • Wendy the Good Little Witch
   • Morticia
   • Lucy
2. How did Marian and George, the ghosts from the 1950s TV sitcom Topper, die?
   • avalanche
   • car accident
   • suicide
   • drowning
3. What type of vehicle did the Ghostbusters drive?
   • Hummer
   • station wagon
   • ambulance
   • hearse
4. How many ghosts visited Ebenezer Scrooge in Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol?
   • 2
   • 1
   • 4
   • 3
5. Who played pseudo-psychic Oda Mae in the1990 film Ghost?
   • Cher
   • Margot Kidder
   • Demi Moore
   • Whoopi Goldberg
6.  According to legend, which one of these can’t a ghost cross?
   • running water
   • a highway
   • a cemetery fence
   • a mountain
7. A “noisy ghost” is called a ______.
   • wraith
   • phantom
   • medium
   • poltergeist
8. Which phrase appears in the Gordon Lightfoot song “If You Could Read My Mind”?
   • “about a ghost with a story to tell”
   • “about a ghost from a wishing well”
   • “about a ghost condemned to hell”
   • “about a ghost whose feet don’t smell”
9. The spooky attraction at Disneyland is called _____.
   • Mystery Manor
   • Hill House
   • Haunted Mansion
   • Fright Mansion
10. What do the letters T-A-P-S from TV’s Ghost Hunters stand for?
    • Trans Atlantic Psychic Society
    • The Abnormal Psychical Society
    • The Associated Parapsychic Society
    • The Atlantic Paranormal Society
11. Who wrote The Exorcisti?
    • Stephen King
    • William Peter Blatty
    • Peter Straub
    • Dean Koontz
12. A Person who can hear ghosts is said to be a ­­_____.
    • ghost whisperer
    • crazy person
    • magus
    • clairaudient

If you are able to answer these questions, post your score “x of 12” in the comment section!!  Answers will be at the end of the post!!*

So, how did you do?  Were you able to answer all the questions correctly?  Were those that you answered correctly from TV or Movies?  See, the purpose of this mini quiz was to establish the fact that most of what we know today about ghosts is information from “pop culture”, but some may have trouble with the information that are actual facts with the paranormal, such as questions 6, 7 and 12.  This whole first chapter discusses the basic information regarding ghost hunting, and who are these people that are ghost hunters. Basically, John Kachuba started this book to give answers to those people who question the validity of ghost hunters in various forms.  The book basically describes the different forms in which people go out to investigate the existence of ghosts.  For example, John describes the process in which the League of Energy Materialization and Unexplained Phenomena Research (L.E.M.U.R.) investigated the Smith-McDowell House in Ashville, North Carolina. Founder Joshua Warren has his group work with EMF meters which are designed to measure the electromagnetic radiation in the air, usually given off by TVs, radios, Computers, Cell Phones, etc.  Aside from John Kachuba’s research, in my own, I have heard that these meters can detect paranormal activity based on the premise that ghosts are made up of energy and these meters can detect that energy. Also, L.E.M.U.R. uses video and audio recordings in hopes anomoulous images or sound.  The point that John Kachuba makes with this chapter on L.E.M.U.R. is that more often than not, nothing spectacular happens on every ghost hunt out there, in the example of the book, all the team received were high EMF readings as the investigated, but even still, data is data, and according to Joshua Warren in this chapter, “’Sometimes it takes a long time, a lot of data, before you can say what’s going on at a particular location.’”

Another chapter focuses on demonology, or the study of demons and inhuman spirits. David Considine, who has been mention in several episodes of Discovery Channel’s A Haunting, is the founder of Phantasm Psychic Research (PPR) where they help those who are plagued with demonic infestations to the friendliest of ghosts.  In some cases, they have even taken objects from homes due to the fact that there are negative spirits inside them.  PPR has helped dozens of families, many of whom needed an exorcism on themselves or objects.  They see their work as social work due to the fact that many of these people need help, and they establish the fact that those who decide to go into this line of work need to be patient and also compassionate to those who ask for their help.

There is so much more to this book than what meets the eye. This is a great resource too for those who wish to start ghost hunting, but it is also gives the stern warning that you must prepare yourself intellectually in order to prepare yourself for what may be haunting the areas you investigate.  There are chapters in this book that discuss how you can become a certified Ghost Hunter, how you can sleep with ghosts, and a great interview with the great Ed and Lorraine Warren. I did enjoy this book, there were passages that I found tedious due to the fact that I have a history in photography, and I just cannot wrap my head around orbs.  Its just one of those things that bothers me, other than that, this book was a great read, and definitely be used as a tool for those who wish to learn different tips and tricks with ghost hunting.

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John Kachuba

League of Energy Materialization and Unexplained Phenomena Research

Phantasm Psychic Research

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[*] Quiz Answers: 1.b, 2.a, 3.c, 4.c, 5.d, 6.a, 7.d, 8.b, 9.c, 10.d, 11.b, 12.d.

A Paranormal Library – Your Neighborhood Gives Me The Creeps

 

I would like to preface my review by stating that I have purchased all the books I review for the public.  I am in no way being paid for my reviews, but I am sharing my favorite paranormal books for your reading pleasure.  The opinions expressed in these books do not always reflect my own personal opinion, but I do find these topics fascinating.  Your purchases of these books do not monetarily benefit me, nor do I gain points with your readership or purchase.  I am sure, however, that the authors do enjoy your patronage.  Happy reading Dreamers!

This disclaimer is in reference of my use of the word “paranormal.”  My use of the word “paranormal” refers to anything that is not normal, be it ghosts, conspiracy theories or aliens.  If the topic is not part of conventional beliefs, then it is paranormal.  So please do not bombard me with comments about how something is or is not paranormal.

Your Neighborhood Gives Me the Creeps, by Adam Selzer

Seriously, this book is not what it seems, you think going in it’s about a neighborhood covered in conspiracy of bodies hiding in the ground, and of developers hiding the fact from unsuspecting home owners until they dig a pool in their backyard and find caskets buried beneath the earth. Well, that is marginally true if you lived in the Urban areas of Chicago, Illinois close to Navy Pier and Lake Michigan. This is where our author Adam Selzer takes us on a ride from the point of view of an accidental ghost hunter.

Adam Selzer is a Young Adult novelist, having written books such as How to Get Suspended and Influence People, The Smart Alec’s Guide to American History, I Kissed a Zombie and I Liked It, Pirates of the Retail Wasteland, I Put A Spell On You and wrote the screenplay for At Last, Okemah! Nominated for several awards for Middle School and Young Adult novels, and you can find a list of his novels on the Children’s Reading list and the Banned Books Reading List. He used to work for the Weird Chicago Tours as a tour-guide and a ghost hunter and is a self-proclaimed full-blown skeptic.

Adam opens the book with a prologue with a person on his tour asking whether or not he believes in ghosts. Adam adamantly believes that most things “(Except Bob Dylan)” are explained by science. While he does tell people that he doesn’t believe everything he hears, he does explain that he has seen some pretty weird things, but he’s not about to proclaim these strange happenings are ghosts. This sets the theme of book, the discussion of strange happenings, the scientific backgrounds of this pseudoscience, and how Skeptic Adam was roped into all of this because he needed a job.

The book was highly entertaining, a nice autobiography on someone who was (and still is) a complete skeptic who became a ghost hunter due to the fact the tour group he worked for, had some members who went and researched the history of the supposedly haunted structure and went on an investigation to research some of those facts. The Group basically tried to debunk the haunting and those that proved too weird were added to their tour. In the book, Adam tries to dispel the idea that all Ghost Hunters are serious investigators, in fact, he proclaims that most ghost hunters are just geeks gone wild!

The stories written in the book are testimonials to the experiences he has had in various locations in Chicago. One such experience happened in an old Funeral Parlor turned tattoo parlor. In the tattoo parlor, the owner, Tapeworm, had experienced some things that were either trying to kill him or were watching his amorous activities in his bedroom above the shop. Tapeworm even described an event that prompted him to call Adam Selzer’s group, known to those who ask as Spooky McGuffin and his Paranormal Posse, to come and check out the shop. Tapeworm claimed that whatever it was inside the shop tried to push him down the stairs, trying to kill him.

Adam stated that there were strange voices caught on EVP, and weird photos at this first investigation of the Tattoo Parlor. After the investigation, Adam received a call from a group member, stating that Tapeworm had passed away from a heart attack next to the stairs where he always felt something trying to push him down. In honor of Tapeworm, the group set out again to investigate the tattoo parlor, and as they were taking flash photography photos downstairs in the basement, in a far corner they spotted a shadow that looked exactly like Tapeworm. As Adam stated, he’s not sure that this was really the spirit of Tapeworm, but it sure did scare him.

As a skeptic, he knows that most people tell stories of ghosts because of the attention they receive, that, and ghosts do not go “WoOoOo.” He categorizes the people who do tell this kind of story as:

1. The Witness is lying (or stoned)(or both).

2. It is, in fact, just the wind blowing through a hole in the wall or something, creating an effect not unlike the one you get by blowing over the rim of a pop bottle or moonshine jug.

3. It’s not a ghost at all–it’s Old Man Peters, the man who ran the haunted amusement park! And he would have gotten away with it, too, if it weren’t for those meddling kids!

Yeah, he’s pretty skeptic.

I liked the way this book was set up, kind of like a selection of Essays based on his life as a Tour Guide, a starving writer, and someone who is trying to keep his mind clear of things like ghosts and other such nonsense while trying to disprove haunting, even though strange things happened to him on investigations and on tours.

At this one location, several people on tours have picked up something strange on their cameras and some children have even noted a ghostly child wandering the grounds.

Now, I made the mistake of selling this book back to Half Price Books, because I needed the money short notice, but I will definitely re-purchase this book, because of the part skepticism and part geek reference fest (trust me there’s a lot), you’ll enjoy this book almost as much I have!

PS. I’ll make it a regular post, I’m trying out email posting!

Update: I made this post look like the others with a picture of the book, thanks for being patient!!!

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Adam Selzer

A Paranormal Library – Real Ghosts

Visible Ink Press (TM), 2003

I would like to preface my review by stating that I have purchased all the books I review for the public.  I am in no way being paid for my reviews, but I am sharing my favorite paranormal books for your reading pleasure.  The opinions expressed in these books do not always reflect my own personal opinion, but I do find these topics fascinating.  Your purchases of these books do not monetarily benefit me, nor do I gain points with your readership or purchase.  I am sure, however, that the authors do enjoy your patronage.  Happy reading Dreamers!

This disclaimer is in reference of my use of the word “paranormal.”  My use of the word “paranormal” refers to anything that is not normal, be it ghosts, conspiracy theories or aliens.  If the topic is not part of conventional beliefs, then it is paranormal.  So please do not bombard me with comments about how something is or is not paranormal.

Real Ghosts, Restless Spirits, and Haunted Places by Brad Steiger

Brad Steiger is a writer of a thousand books, more specifically 168, from a wide range of subjects. He has recently authored Real Nightmares: True and Truly Scary Unexplained Phenomena, The Werewolf Book: The Encyclopedia of Shape-Shifting Beings, Second Edition, and Real Aliens: Space Beings, and Creatures from Other Worlds.

This is an amazing read regarding the subject and history of ghosts and ghost hunting.  What I found interesting is how Steiger separated the topics into chapters with wonderful titles such as “Haunted Houses and Apartments,” “Encounters with Glowing Entities and Ghost Lights,” “Spirit Parasites that Possessed,” “Restored Scenes of the Past,” and “Strange Beings that Masquerade as Humans.”  Or in other words, Haunted Houses, Orbs and other glowing beings, In-human Spirits or Malevolent Spirits, Residual Hauntings, Ghosts that Pretend to be Humans to Finish a Task.  While most of the titles in the book are by far strange and unusual, I have been absolutely fascinated by the information and personal studies Brad Steiger has conducted and researched over his career.

The information provided in the book seems very well researched, with small case studies to prove points.  I do question some of these case studies, however, as I am not sure that the studies made before the 1950’s were hoaxes or not.  Historically speaking, The Spiritualist Movement was a movement based on the idea that you could speak to those who had moved on.  One such famous Spiritualist is our own President Abraham Lincoln, who, along with his wife, went to several celebrity Mediums, such as Nettie Colburn, for séances to talk with their deceased son, Tad. The only thing I have a problem with as far as the Spiritualist Movement, was the fact that some people preyed on the emotions of their clients and told them things that the clients wanted to hear.  So, while there are articles included from the Spiritualist Movement, their credibility is far from credible, in my personal opinion.  Aside from the Spiritualist articles, there are articles regarding supposed hauntings from the past, including that of the Bell Witch, who haunted the Bell family until Mr. Bell died in 1820.  A chilling idea when the Bell Witch foretold the family that the only way she will stop haunting the family is when the master of the house died.  Researchers have hypothesized that the reason behind the Bell Witch Phenomena was due to the fact that John Bell, Sr. was committing incestual acts against his daughter Betsy, and in her distraught state, her emotions created the Bell Witch to torment her family who turned a blind eye to her plight.

Along with well researched articles, there are some questionable photographs that are sprinkled throughout the book itself.  Now while some people do believe in the existence of orbs, I personally believe that a photographed orb is just dust/rain/snow/sleet/pollen that was captured in the flash.  When I do go and take photos of supposed haunted places, I actually take a long exposure and if an orb is caught, you would know, because there would be a trail of light.  The photos shown here are in my opinion faked as many are either A. the camera strap got in the way of the lens, B. particles of some sort, or C. someone in costume to hoax the image.  In any case, here are some of the images I found questionable:

Helen Duncan

Franek Kluski

Eva C.

At almost 600 pages, with three appendices, a glossary and an index, this is definitely a book to read for those who want to brush up on the ghost subject, from the basic ideas of the 1800’s to what we today believe are ghosts.  This book did take me several months to read, due to the fact that I found some accounts fully disturbing, I can firmly say that the book is by far a great textbook on the subject of ghosts, even with the questionable content in it.  The content really does give you a look into the Ghost subject from a historical perspective to a modern perspective.

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Brad Steiger

A Paranormal Library – Ancient Aliens

I would like to preface my review by stating that I have purchased all the books I review for the public.  I am in no way being paid for my reviews, but I am sharing my favorite paranormal books for your reading pleasure.  The opinions expressed in these books do not always reflect my own personal opinion, but I do find these topics fascinating.  Your purchases of these books do not monetarily benefit me, nor do I gain points with your readership or purchase.  I am sure, however, that the authors do enjoy your patronage.  Happy reading Dreamers!

This disclaimer is in reference of my use of the word “paranormal.”  My use of the word “paranormal” refers to anything that is not normal, be it ghosts, conspiracy theories or aliens.  If the topic is not part of conventional beliefs, then it is paranormal.  So please do not bombard me with comments about how something is or is not paranormal.

Ancient Aliens

The History Channel Wednesdays 9pm/8pm Central

Ok, so while I love reading, I’m a huge TV Junkie to the point that my sister and I are going through the Netflix backlogs of Frasier.  What I do love though is to watch documentaries on the Paranormal.  Ancient Aliens is one such program that I die to see every week.

Before I really go into the show Ancient Aliens, I should discuss the theory behind the show itself.  The theory of Ancient Aliens began with Erich von Däniken and his book Chariots of the Gods?, in which von Däniken hypothesizes that our ancient civilizations (Egyptian, Aztec and Maya for example) were once visited by extraterrestrial beings.  In these visitations, our ancients were given knowledge from these visitors that benefited these fledgling societies with information far advanced than we gave them credit for.  Not only that, but the ancients chronicled the visitations in ways that made sense to them in books such as the Bhagavad Gita, Gilgamesh, and The Bible.

The show Ancient Aliens began as a two-part documentary started by the creators of UFO Hunters after that specific show was canceled.  The regular series begins with the topic of discussion with a panel of experts in various fields of science.  Most of the topics vary from the very original question and that is “Whether or not Aliens were the direct result of some of the Ancients greatest creations?”  While some of the theories are outlandish, some of the real world proof, things humans have tested, are astounding.

For example, in the episode “Ancient Aliens and Deadly Diseases,” the pundits hypothesize that Aliens were responsible for diseases that almost wiped out mankind.  While the idea seems more science fiction than science, there is evidence of NASA testing a hypothesis on what would happen to bacteria in a zero gravity environment. In this test, NASA tested several bacteria samples in space to see if they would die or thrive in the vacuum.  While 3 out of the 4 samples died in space, the samples of Salmonella grew 3 to 7 times more virulent than when it was initially launched. From this evidence, we can conclude a larger hypothesis: have any of the major diseases that almost wiped out humanity have been mutated bacteria from deep space?  While it is a stretch, the evidence with the virulent Salmonella is definitely food for thought.*

Now, again, I really do think that most of their hypotheses are outlandish and stretched way too thin; I do believe that a good chunk of the information that is presented in Ancient Aliens is very fascinating.  I also think more people would take the show more seriously if the “crazy-haired-douche-bag,” to quote the boyfriend and sister, were to be less spastic on the word “proof.”** I do agree with most of the pundits on the show, I personally believe that if this said person stopped saying the word “proof” and combed his hair once in a while with gel or mousse; maybe people would probably see the show with a better light.

You can view Ancient Aliens episodes on History.com (updated every Thursday Morning), or view them on Hulu, Youtube, and Netflix.

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* Go to this NASA Site for more information on what may have caused the Salmonella virus to become more virulent in space.

** If you have ever seen this show, you know of whom I am talking about.  Every time there is the faintest of circumstantial evidence given in the show, this man starts popping the word “proof” every ten seconds.  Even for an openly cautious person as I am, that is just way too over the top.

A Paranormal Library – Destination Truth

I would like to preface my review by stating that I have purchased all the books I review for the public.  I am in no way being paid for my reviews, but I am sharing my favorite paranormal books for your reading pleasure.  The opinions expressed in these books do not always reflect my own personal opinion, but I do find these topics fascinating.  Your purchases of these books do not monetarily benefit me, nor do I gain points with your readership or purchase.  I am sure, however, that the authors do enjoy your patronage.  Happy reading Dreamers!

This disclaimer is in reference of my use of the word “paranormal.”  My use of the word “paranormal” refers to anything that is not normal, be it ghosts, conspiracy theories or aliens.  If the topic is not part of conventional beliefs, then it is paranormal.  So please do not bombard me with comments about how something is or is not paranormal.

Destination Truth

New Episodes on SyFy in 2012

Josh Gates is the host of Destination Truth, born in Massachusetts, Josh gates received archaeology and drama degrees from Tufts University, has been involved in archaeological digs above ground and underwater, and he has been a photographer that has taken him all around the world.  He was recently inducted to The Explorer’s Club.

Now, here’s one show that I just cannot get enough of, and it is not because of Josh Gates, the host, who’s campy, pop-culture references stretching from Lost to Terminator 2, or his golden dreadlocks camera man Gabe (I WILL not go into detail on how sexy I find this man).  Ok, girl lust over, this show has just a great blend of jokes and serious research (for an hour only show) that makes the show highly interesting and entertaining.  Not only that, but aside from Monster Quest, this is the only other show that deals with investigations on Crypto-zoological* sightings.

While the show does leave more questions than answers, the cultural interest the show brings is more entertaining than the actual investigation.  The show allows those of us at home to see a culture we cannot go out and see.  The episode in Bhutan is an amazing example, because not only do you need to be invited to Bhutan by the government, the culture there has not changed much, with TV and internet becoming legal in 1999. The entertaining aspect was Team Truth’s encounter with a field of Marijuana plants (and by field I mean a field reaching far into the mountainside) and everyone laughing and wondering if they could bring the plant back to the United States.  I can’t remember which episode this happened in, or which continent this was on, but Team Truth was invited to a Tribal Initiation ceremony to gain information on the cryptid they were hunting.  In the initiation, they had to drink this concoction that was either psychotropic or just your general feel good, get high drink that one of the cameramen knew about.

In all seriousness, I love crypto-zoological stories and shows regarding such topics.  The reason being, was while I was a young Oracle of Dreams, my friends and then boyfriend, laughed at the fact that I would spend HOURS reading books on Bigfoot and The Loch Ness Monster, trying to see if there would be a grain of truth within these books as to the real existence of these cryptids.  That is where my love for Destination Truth has come in, I like that Josh Gates and others have not given up the search for these creatures that science has deemed mythological or extinct.  Destination Truth may not find these beasts that they search for, but the cultural lesson you get from these trips are more valuable, personally, than the proof of Bigfoot.  Watch if you love culture, watch if you love to find the unknown, either way Destination Truth is great!!

Watch on SyFy.com, Hulu, YouTube and Netflix on watch instantly.

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* Crypto-zoology is the study of mythical beasts that are said to still exist in this world.  Cryptids (as these beasts are called) range from the ever known Bigfoot to Elves in Norway.